By: Kendall Hunt RPD with contributions from the editorial team

Whether you’re a homeschool parent or an educator of a private school, it can be a challenge finding a curriculum that meets both academic and spiritual needs. At Kendall Hunt Religious Publishing Division (RPD) we offer faith-based curricula options, developed in collaboration with leaders representing their private faith-based organizations, that are based on their authentic worldviews.

Jim Drexler, Dean of Social Science at the Graduate School of Education at Covenant College emphasizes that a faith-based education should, “[seek} to integrate God’s Word into every facet of the curriculum as well as all co-curricular activities.” Many educators in faith-based settings aim to make faith a central part of their teaching, rather than a simple add-on.  

Here is how our faith-based educational options, such as ByDesign Science, Pathways2.0 Reading and Language Arts, and Kindergarten Stepping Stones, achieve this integration.

ByDesign Science

The ByDesign Science curriculum includes features such as Scripture Spotlights, directing students to related Biblical passages, and Faith Connections, which link religious beliefs with scientific concepts. For instance, in a chapter on reptiles and amphibians, students learn about the biblical dietary laws and the frogs of the Exodus plagues.

The curriculum also incorporates lessons about God’s role in the scientific understanding of our world. For example, when studying the human body, students are reminded that God created them with love and intention. When learning about plant life, they are taught that it is God’s natural law that seeds grow into the same kind that produced them. This approach helps students see God’s presence in the world around them.

Pathways2.0 Reading and Language Arts

Each Daily Lesson Guide (DLG) in Pathways2.0 starts with a Faith Connections feature, demonstrating the four components of the Adventist worldview: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Re-Creation. These components are linked to the themes of the DLG, showing students how God’s plan applies to every context.

Some of the themed lesson guides, such as “Walking with God,” include literature with explicit faith connections, such as Song of the Trail by author Mabel Earp Cason. Even in units based on secular trade books, our Teacher Edition provides resources for educators to structure a spiritually nurturing discussion, based on characters’ moral development, judgments, and actions. Pathways2.0 integrate faith into every aspect of children’s lives, aligning with the worldviews of Adventist education.

Kindergarten Stepping Stones

Madonna, one of our homeschool reviewers, said it best: “The folks at Kendall Hunt Religious Publishers get it. They know that an early learner must be nurtured to think, learn, choose, and grow, but more importantly, that the early learner was made in the image of God.”

Each themed lesson of Kindergarten Stepping Stones begins with Spiritual Connections, similar to the Faith Connections in Pathways2.0. The feature links the Theme Books with corresponding Bible stories and verses. The program also offers suggestions for worship and Bible routines, including songs, and craft projects, to help children engage with Bible stories and bring God’s miracles to life. By providing multiple suggestions for how to review the Bible stories, you can choose the best one for your students that will make faith-filled learning fun.

Kendall Hunt RPD’s faith-based curriculum places faith at the center of your educational day.  You too can put faith at the center of your day, not at the edges. Take advantage of our actively integrated curriculum today!

What are your favorite activities to highlight faith with your students?

Sources:

https://www.faithbaseded.org/news/2017/5/16/a-great-article-about-the-benefits-of-faith-based-education